Cop ***1/2

“Cop” is an underrated serial killer thriller that almost nobody saw. It contains a great performance by James Woods. The film is based on the James Ellroy book, “Blood On The Moon”. Ellroy wrote a few other books that were turned in to films. Maybe you have heard of “L.A. Confidential”?

The plot involves a hard boiled cop named Hopkins played by Woods. When he starts investigating the brutal death of young woman, it leads him to believe that he is on the trail of a serial killer that may have been operating for years. When he takes it to his chief, he is told that he needs hard evidence to connect the dots because they could be facing mass panic and a media nightmare.

Hopkins himself is no saint. He is on the outs with his marriage, has no problem having sex with prostitutes and bending the law. Woods gives a performance that always seems on the edge. He plays Hopkins as a brilliant cop but also as a person who has almost no moral compass. It is a really great balancing act.

In this day and age of comic book heroes and super spies, it is nice to follow a character who has flaws, as he goes deep in to a world of sleaze and intrigue. You do not get movies like this anymore.